Julian Clary is expected to do well in Big Brother – we hope he does too, but how will he control his panic attacks?

Julian Clary was one of 13 celebrities to move in to the Big Brother house last night for the tenth series of Celebrity Big Brother.

Describing himself as ‘renowned homosexual’, Clary said he should be alright in the Big Brother house, as long as he can have three hours alone in the bathroom every day.

Clary told host, winner of Big Brother 2 Brian Dowling, that ‘the main reason I’m going into the house is to widen my circle’.

Celebrities including Boy George and the Bit On The Side panel consisting of Gareth Thomas, Natalie Cassidy and Kerry Katona have all praised him and say they expect great things from him.
As a fan I hope so too, but seeing him enter the house last night he worried me. Looking ill at ease when walking into the house he later appeared to have one of his panic attacks. He was sweating and pressing a handkerchief to his face and the back of his neck. This put in mind the famous Ruby Wax interview where he when he had a panic attack on her chat show and walked out. He admitted there that he often suffers from panic attacks during recordings and when surrounded by too many people.
He also stated: “I’m impatient with shopping. I hate the queues. I used to have panic attacks, and was prone to them in supermarket queues. When I became well-known people would look at me, and at what I was buying, which made me feel self-conscious.”
If he has so much difficulty being around people, it doesn’t bode well for his time in the house, and I’d so hate to see him hurt, upset or in panic.
People who don’t know him as much might dislike it if he’d take a backseat in the house after a while, as people expect him to be witty non stop and fill the house with one liners and zingers. Today he already needed an afternoon nap.
I just hope he’ll keep the first night high and go through all the weeks, keeping himself together. If he isn’t present as much every day, please cut him some slack, he deserves an off day as much as everyone else.